Always
by Lellow
Summary: Minako sets up Usagi to get a modelling job which pisses of Mamoru - ONE SHOT -


DISCLAIMER: I don't own anything all characters and places and things belong to Naoko Takeuchi; no money is being made from this piece of imagination.

TIMELINE: Usagi and Mamoru have been dating a while

SPOILERS: None.

SYNOPSIS: Minako gets a modeling job on the condition that Minako sets Usagi up with her casting agent. Mamoru's not too happy with Minako.

AUTHOR'S NOTES: Just wanted to write something real that couples can relate to, no dramatic battle scenes or anything particularly gory... just lovey dovey mushiness this is a ONE SHOT... i figured its fine the way it is and anymore would destroy it. **_However _I did take the liberty to change a few things hopefully for the better! This story is my first and singular contribution to the world of fanfic (although I don't wish it to be the last) and I take much pride in it.** Enjoy

DEDICATION: To my readers your time taken to read this story means a lot! And to my reviewers whose uplifting comments make me feel appreciated.

xxxxxxx

Always

'… So that's the story you guys… What am I going to do?'

The room fell silent as the girls stared dumbfounded at Minako.

It was Makoto that broke the silence 'I can't believe you did that…'

The girls nodded in agreement but it was Rei that finally said what was on everyone's mind and the one thing Minako didn't need to hear.

'Mamoru is going to kill you'

Minako covered her face. 'I know! I know' she peered at her friends through her fingers 'Don't you think I haven't thought about that?'

'Well no' Ami piped up, all the girls looked at her in surprise, usually she was the one who came out as being the most supportive. Minako dropped her hands from her face.

'Well Minako-chan, if you thought about it you wouldn't be in this mess' Ami said in the same matter-of –fact manner. Minako gave the blue haired girl a withering look.

'Have you spoken to Usagi?' Luna asked.

Minako nodded.

'What did she say?'

xxxxxxx

'WHAT?' Usagi's voice attracted the stares of passer-byers, blushing she lowered her voice. 'Mamo-chan is going to kill you!'

When Minako said she needed a favour she didn't think it would be this.

'Usagi-chan it's one date! If you do it I'll get the modelling job… Onegai Usagi-chan! I need this!'

Usagi looked thoughtful. _Why can't she ask for something simple like borrowing my hair roller?_ Her eyes lit up with an idea.

'I'll do anything!' Minako said hopefully. 'I'd really appreciate it. Onegai!'

Usagi smiled. 'Ok Minako-chan. I'll go on your date on one condition.'

'Name it' she said without hesitation.

The senshi of Venus was so happy with her response she didn't see the glint of amusement in Usagi's eyes if she did perhaps she wouldn't have been so eager in her response.

'You're going to be the one to explain this situation to Mamo-chan'

xxxxxxx

Makoto laughed. 'Nice move Usagi'

Minako glared. 'It's not funny Mako-chan! What am I going to do?'

'Why don't you just tell him the truth' Artemis suggested.

Minako gave the cat a condescending look. Males in any species can be quite dense.

'Oh yes Atremis I can see it now… Hello Mamoru-san, How was your day? By the way I had a modelling audition and the casting agent saw Usagi-chan and promised me a contract if I set her up on a date with him. You don't mind do you?'

The girls laughed and Atremis scowled muttering something about using more tact.

'Can you just imagine the look on Mamoru's face if you said that to him?' Rei laughed. All of a sudden her face lit up 'I know! Why don't you just lie to him?'

'Usagi won't let me…she'll find out he doesn't know somehow… so I have to tell him the truth' a look of hope flicked across her eyes. 'He'll understand right?'

Ami nearly choked on the water she was drinking. 'I'm sorry have you just MET Mamoru?...You know how protective he gets over her'

'Possessive more like' Rei chimed.

'That's right Rei-chan, make this harder to hear' Minako scowled. 'Kami, I'm screwed!'

xxxxxxx

_The oblique arytenoids are attached to the arytenoid cartilages and supplied by the recurrent laryngeal branch of Vagus X. _

Mamoru's vision stuttered as the words began to mix on the page, he rubbed his tired eyes looking up at the clock which said 4:10. She was late… again. He put down his physiology text book and went to the kitchen his eyes catching a hold of a pink scarf tucked underneath the couch. He shook his head and picked it up placing it in her drawer in his room. He remembered the day he had given her the drawer, he handed her a gift box which held a roll of contact paper. She looked at him as though he had gone mad, but her face had lit up with joy the moment he explain what it was for

Since then she had left her presence all over the apartment, stuffed pink bunnies, pillows even that clock which looked slightly like Luna sat above the television. Her haphazard habits of leaving things around drove him mad while simultaneously warming his heart; the hurricane who held his soul at its eye while she sent almost everything flying. He smiled at his own analogy, she was _his _hurricane and although he would never admit it to her face _(her attempts a being tidy were few and far between)_ his home was far better than it had been before she had come into his life. He heard the door being unlocked.

'Mamo-chan?' she called.

'Here!' she followed the sound of his voice into the kitchen.

'Are we having dinner already?' she asked hopefully. He laughed taking her hand and leading her to the couch.

'I think I'd rather start with dessert first'

He wriggled his eyebrows playfully and she laughed as his lips descended on hers.

'Miss me?' she whispered.

Mamoru had already buried his head in her neck and all she heard was his muffled reply. She giggled as he tickled the sensitive skin, but it quickly turned into a moan as his mouth bit into the tender flesh. _That would leave a mark _Usagi thought absently as his kisses trailed back down to her mouth. She felt his hands go beneath her shirt, he never went any further remembering the first time he had almost lost his control with her.

'_Mamo-chan stop!'_

He had apologised profusely and since then had not dared to go any further without her say so. It wasn't long until she was beneath him on the couch her dexterous fingers quickly undoing his buttoned shirt so she could lay her hands on his warm lean chest. Mamoru lost himself in her embrace content with hearing the way her heart beat quickened. _For me. Only for me. _She breathed in his sweet scent and sighed contently. Both were so caught up in the moment that they didn't hear the apartment door open.

'Door was open!' Minako's cheery voice rang through the apartment.

_Minako?_ Mamoru's eyes went wide with shock and with a burst of preternatural speed he had managed to scramble off Usagi covering her lithe body with his shirt. Minako's eyes went wide with shock.

'Am I interrupting something?' she asked Mamoru cautiously. _Shirtless Mamoru_ a voice inside her supplied.

She tamped it down.

Usagi donned Mamoru's shirt properly and stood beside him quickly doing up the buttons. Mamoru wrapped a possessive arm around her waist.

'Minako!'

Usagi flashed her a smile in an attempt to relieve the awkwardness. The look on Mamoru's face however did not disguise his agitation. _Great timing Minako, he's going to take this news much better now that you've annoyed him _it was after this thought that Minako had noted Usagi's dishevelled appearance, her hair was taken out of its usual odango's _a privilege she allows only Mamoru, _her lips were swollen from his kisses, her only attire besides her skirt was Mamoru's white business shirt and a large diamond pendant he had bought for her on her birthday dangling from a chain on her neck, Minako gulped

'What can we do for you Minako-chan!' Usagi shifted slightly, unintentionally displaying the circular bruises around her throat, which were no doubt also Mamoru's.

_The only thing missing_ Minako thought _is a flashing neon sign on her head saying 'Property of Chiba Mamoru. Keep Out'._ This was going to be harder than she anticipated.

'I'll come back' Minako heard herself say… _this is bad…really really bad_. 'Gomen!'

She turned to leave and heard Mamoru's resigned sigh, in the split second she turned around to find he had somehow acquired a shirt.

'Minako-chan wait!' he called after her.

He had collected himself and was now smiling patiently at her. Minako silently cursed whatever God had blessed Mamoru with his uncanny ability to pull himself together after a particularly shocking encounter.

'You might as well tell us now since you're already here.'

'Now!' Minako echoed looking to Usagi for help.

'Why don't you take a seat Mina-chan?' she suggested, not knowing what else to say. 'I'll go make myself more presentable.'

Mamoru kissed her lightly on the top of her head before reluctantly releasing her. Minako braced herself for the worst and began…

'Well I here's what happened…'

xxxxxxx

'…so he asked me if I could set him up with Usagi'

Minako's growing discomfort was being eased by Mamoru's patient eyes. She smiled.

'I hope you said no' Mamoru said seriously.

Minako gave a nervous laugh, Mamoru's smile began to fade _Usagi-chan hurry up and come out here! _Minako thought

Usagi was waiting patiently in Mamoru's room, and growing increasingly uncomfortable with the silence, she had heard Minako explain her situation to Mamoru and still had to hear his reaction, she didn't have to wait long. His booming voice filled the entire room.

'YOU DID WHAT?'

'OnegaiMamoru-sanpleaseunderstandIneededthejob!' came her stumbling reply.

'Iie! Minako what made you think that I would agree with this? Can't you get a job without using Usako?'

'Gomen Mamoru-san, I could've but when he saw Usagi-chan he set a condition!'

_Someone had been looking at his Usako?_

'That's illegal! You should've sued him!'

'I can't do that Mamoru-san if I did I'll never work in the business again, he's an extremely revered casting agent!'

'Why didn't you tell him she had a boyfriend?'

'I did!'

Mamoru gave her a look.

'Ok I didn't; but it's only one date Mamoru-san! Onegai! Usagi already agreed!'

'No!' he said firmly.

Usagi chose that moment to walk out of Mamoru's room to find her best friend hiding behind the couch while Mamoru towered over her seething with anger. She grabbed his arm and he turned to look at her.

'Did you agree to do this?' his eyes pleaded for her to deny it, but in his heart he knew, Usagi couldn't deny Minako or any of her other friends anything. She hugged Mamoru.

'Mamo-chan, it's only one date and it's for Minako! I promise I will tell her casting agent I already have a boyfriend.'

She looked at him imploringly with her big blue eyes and kissed his proud jaw. She pouted.

That did it. Mamoru sighed and relaxed into Usagi's embrace.

'Ok'

'Thankyou Mamoru-san' Minako smiled. 'I promise I'll have her back in two hours!'

'One'

'One and a half?'

'One'

'One hour it is' Minako forfeited and left the apartment. _That could've gone worse_

xxxxxxx

'I can't believe I agreed to this!' Mamoru sat inside Usagi's room waiting for her to come out of the bathroom.

'Mamo-chan you have nothing to worry about! You know I only love you!' She stepped out of the bathroom Mamoru's breath caught in his throat. She looked exquisite. He noted that the sleeveless light blue sundress exposed just the right amount of skin and the dress hugged her figure showing all the right curves. He shook his head attempting to clear the thoughts from his head.

'I don't doubt your loyalty to me Usako, but I don't trust any mans self control if he is alone with you and you are wearing that'

She blushed.

'You think I should change?'

'Hai, wear that dress only for me ne?'

She giggled and rummaged through her closet pulling out two other outfits and showing them to Mamoru. He shook his head disapprovingly noting that the skirts were much too short for his comfort. She pulled out another outfit and began to change into it as Mamoru attempted to sift through her clothes for something more appropriate. After ten minutes and finding nothing he turned to her.

'Usako?'

'Hmm?'

'Why is it that you don't own a skirt that reaches your knees?'

She laughed. 'Safety reasons'

'Safety reasons?'

She gave him an incredulous look 'To fight youma's Mamo-chan! Honestly!'

'Fight? You point a stick and say words… I'm the one who ends up jumping around and saving you…which is stupid because I'm the one in formal wear.'

'Then maybe you should change your name…' he chuckled. She stepped out of the wardrobe 'How does this look?'

'It's sexy' Mamoru confided. Usagi looked annoyed.

'You keep shooting down everything I own! Maybe I should just go naked!'

Mamoru gave her a dark look.

'Not in this lifetime Usako…or in any other for that matter don't you have something, long, loose and possibly dirty?'

'You wouldn't let me go on a date looking like a pile of dirty laundry would you?'

'If I hadn't been pressured into this I wouldn't let you go on this date!' he scowled.

She sighed dug out an old t-shirt and jeans and modelled them for him.

'Are you happy now Mamo-chan?'

'Words couldn't express how I feel Usa…'

The doorbell rang.

'That would be him…' she gave Mamoru a kiss on the cheek, swiftly he shifted his head so she caught his lips instead, he deepened the kiss, she closed her eyes and sighed. She slapped him playfully on the cheek

'Mamoru-baka! Now I have to touch up my make up!' she said with mock irritation.

'Don't' He smiled. 'Leave it' he kissed her hand and she rolled her eyes.

'As you wish my king' she kissed his cheek and bounded down the stairs.

Mamoru waited five minutes before he followed suit and headed to Minako's house.

xxxxxxx

'I can't believe you dragged me into this!' Minako protested.

'I can't believe you set Usako up on a date!' Mamoru shot back.

The two of them sat at least five tables away from Usagi and her 'date' Mamoru hiding his face behind the oversized menu. He watched as the man put his hands on her leg only to have her brush it away politely. If it wasn't for the considerable amount of space between them Minako knew he would've leapt on top of the young casting agent and beat him to a pulp.

'I thought you trusted Usagi?' Minako challenged 'She won't let anything happen!'

'It's not Usako I don't trust it's your precious casting agent who makes passes at her every 5 minutes!'

'Don't worry Mamoru-san, only 15 more minutes until it's over.'

Mamoru saw them get up.

'Well they're not spending it here Minako-chan, where is he taking her!'

They disappeared into the crowd.

'We have to find her!'

'No we don't!' Minako insisted. 'They'll be fifteen minutes, I bet Usagi will be at your house after the date, if you're not there she'll know you were spying'

Mamoru's gaze followed them out of the store. He frowned at Minako's logic, mostly because it made sense grumbling angrily as he took her home.

xxxxxxx

Minako was right Mamoru acknowledged grudgingly. He had just gotten home long enough to change his shirt when the doorbell rang and sure enough he was greeted by Usagi's golden smile.

'How was your date?' he asked mockingly

'It was great we danced under the stars and confessed our love' she replied dryly.

Mamoru's face fell, and she immediately felt guilty for preying on his insecurity.

'I'm joking!' she tiptoed to kiss away his wounded puppy look.

'It's not funny Usako!'

He kissed her hand.

'So really how did your date go?'

'Well Chizou-san said that I have a lot of potential for being a model'

'I bet he did' Mamoru muttered.

'What?'

'Nothing!'

'So he said that he'd like to do some test shots with me and Minako-chan!'

'Really?' Mamoru lifted an eyebrow genuinely interested.

'We had to go by a few stores so he could show me the look he wants'

Usagi handed Mamoru her shopping bag. _Ah so this is where she went_ he thought, pulling out her purchases. He gave her a quizzical look.

'You're modelling mosquito nets?' he held the garment between two fingers as if at any moment it would come to life and attack him _stranger things have happened _he mused.

'No! They're clothes!'

'They're clothes!' he echoed examining the garment more closely. Usagi grabbed the flimsy silk from his hand ran into Mamoru's room, quickly changed and stepped out. His jaw dropped. The 'mosquito net' had turned out to be a very short, very see through negligee, that just barley covered her breasts, it looked much like her Serenity gown just leaving _a lot_ less to the imagination. She blushed and her arms went to cover her overly exposed body obscuring his view.

'Do you like it?' she asked. Mamoru continued to stare despite himself he managed a little nod. She rolled her eyes and went back into his room to change into her original attire when she came out she spoke again, noticing Mamoru still stared at her with that glazed look in his eyes. 'Chizou-san picked it out, I don't know about it though, It makes me feel so…naked'

At her words Mamoru snapped out of his reverie. _Someone else had seen her in that?_ A flash of anger streaked across his eyes.

'You wore this for him?' he asked through gritted teeth.

'No! He just told me that he thought I would look good in this next to Minako! He imagined it!'

_Imagined? _His reaction seemed to worsen that Usagi didn't want to say anything else.

'I wonder what else 'Chizou-san' imagined'Mamoru's voice was dark.

She finally caught onto his line of thought.

'Mamo-chan!' She sounded scandalised 'Not every person that looks at me has that running through they're mind'

'True' Mamoru conceded 'Just your casting agent and any single male that is not blind in Tokyo…'

She crossed her arms in a challenge. 'How could you make that judgment? You haven't even met him!'

'I don't have to meet him! All I have to do is look at this' he gestured wildly at the offending garment 'and make that judgement for myself! Usako I FORBID you to go!'

Her warm eyes turned to ice.

'The tests are tomorrow Mamo-chan and I'm going no matter what you say.'

She pushed past him. He grabbed her arm spinning her around.

'You will NOT go to that man and wear that flimsy excuse for clothing for his pictures. I know what he wants Usako and it's not to make you into a model.'

'How do you know _Mamoru_? HOW?'

'Because I've seen the way he looks at you!'

'What?'

'I've seen him look at you… and I recognise that look… Usako, all he wants is a free peek'

'You were spying on me?' she wrenched her arm from his grip poked him harshly in the chest 'What gives you the right…'

He claimed that arm again drew her close making sure that he was imposing on her when he said his next words he saw fright behind her defiant eyes. _Good. You should be afraid._

'I have every right Usako because You. Are. Mine.'

She held his gaze defiantly before wrenching her arm out of his grip and walking out the front door, slamming it. She heard a faint crash as she left tears in her eyes.

xxxxxxx

Beautiful. There was no other way to describe her dream. Rei smiled as she lay with Yuuichirou under the sky watching the clouds dance past in their mystical forms. Yuuichirou was drumming his fingers on his stomach watching the clouds wistfully.

'Yuri – chan stop drumming' Rei complained sleepily

When he didn't stop she held his hand to stop the thumping noise, but to her surprise the drumming got louder and louder, until Rei realised…

'Rei-chan open up! It's Usagi!'

Rei grumbled as she got up and opened the door, ready to scream at Usagi for waking her up at an ungodly hour on a Saturday evening. Instead of the cheery blonde she expected to see was confronted by a mass of blonde hair. She looked like a mess, her hair, though still in its original odangos were covered in dirt and mud, her eyes were red and swollen and her upper lip trembled. Whatever she was planning to say died on her throat.

'Kami… what happened?'

'Mamo-chan…' She whimpered and fell into Rei's arms sobbing.

Once she had regained her bearings Usagi began telling her story, with Rei nodding and making sympathetic noises at the right intervals.

'…He just made me so mad so I stormed out! He treated me like I was a child, or worse an object! Like I was some toy he could control!'

Rei recalled Minako raving about Mamoru's possessiveness towards Usagi.

'_I can't believe him he's so damn territorial, he might as well have plastered a sign saying off limits all over her body!' _

Rei looked thoughtful, and decided she should tell Usagi what she told Minako.

'You are technically his…' she said slowly trying to avoid her explosion.

'WHAT?'

_So much for that _Rei thought dryly.

'Well you're his girlfriend and as his girlfriend, there are certain privileges that are allowed him… like seeing you in your… unmentionables…'

'It's MY body!'

Rei sighed.

'Try and put yourself in his shoes Usagi-chan, if some devastatingly attractive girl had come along and requested a date with Mamoru, probably with the worst intentions in mind, would you be so inclined to grant him permission to go?'

'It's his choice' she sounded unsure

'You wouldn't let him go if it were up to you! Admit it Usagi-chan! You'd be jealous and angry and cry. Mamoru would end up not going I because hates seeing you cry!'

To Rei's shock Usagi didn't retaliate, but her head hung as though she was being berated by her mother. She continued.

'The truth is Usagi-chan, he's as much yours as you are his, you may never 'forbid' him to do anything but if a tear slips from your eye Mamoru knows he's crossed a line… As for the spying… well tell me Usagi-chan wouldn't you like to know what Mamoru was getting up to with a devastating and attractive young girl?'

Usagi sighed. 'You're right.' She met her eyes 'When did you get so wise Rei-chan?' she asked smilingly

'After a couple of dozen fights you tend to pick up on these things… And I was always wise! I was just never this nice when dispensing my wisdom.'

Usagi sighed running a hand through her hair.

'What am I going to do now Rei-chan? I made him so angry!'

'Mamoru won't stay mad at you for long,' she winked 'Just make your apology tomorrow so he has time to cool down'

Usagi nodded and stood up.

'I hope you're right'

Rei smiled as she walked Usagi to the door.

'I always am' she replied.

xxxxxxx

Mamoru woke up with a pounding headache and a half empty bottle of vodka on his nightstand. He stood up looking at his reflection in the mirror. His eyes were bloodshot and red, and his mouth dry and tasted disturbingly like sand paper. The fight with Usagi had taken more out of him than he expected. He sighed looking at the wall he had punched a fist through after she had stormed out. He had to talk to Usagi before she left her house.

He quickly got dressed and jumped into his car arriving at her house in record time. He knocked on the door, leaning on the doorframe for support. Shingo answered.

'Is Usako here?' he asked.

'No, sorry Mamoru-san…she left with Minako half an hour ago'

He looked crestfallen.

'Arigato Shingo-kun' he managed to choke out 'just tell her I came by'

'Sure no problem'

_Shimatta! _Mamoru thought turned around _I don't even know where she went!_ He leant his head against the steering wheel.

xxxxxxx

Usagi gasped in surprise when she saw Mamoru's apartment. The normally clean living room was still littered with yesterday's mess while the green glass vase she had bought lay shattered on the ground near a large hole the size of Mamoru's fist on the wall. She was shaken. How was it that she managed to make him so angry? How is it that she always seemed to hurt him?

_It doesn't matter now_ she thought _you have to do this, you can't have him be mad at you forever. _

She sighed and began to clean.

xxxxxxx

He dragged his feet into his apartment digging into his pockets for his keys, growling in irritation when he wasn't able to find them immediately. _Stupid pockets, stupid keys, stupid door, stupid lock!_ He finally managed to put the right key into the key hole and opened the door he noticed light pour through. He opened the door more cautiously just in case someone had broken into his home _I'm sure I didn't leave a light on _when he realised that no one was going to jump out and attack him he opened the door fully and gasped. What hit him first was the smell of roses, then the lingering unique scent of strawberries and vanilla that belonged only to one person. _Usako. _He took in the surroundings, his apartment was filled with scented pillar candles which were set in a path to his bedroom, he noticed rose petals were strewn all over the floor between them. He smiled warmly, forgetting why she had gone through the trouble in the first place. He followed the path of petals and candles and unlocked his door.

She lay asleep in the middle of his king-sized bed clothed in nothing but the white lace he had thrown away distastefully the night before, she had replaced his sheets with blood red silk and her tiny body looked so vulnerable in comparison the large bed. She shivered in her sleep and Mamoru climbed onto the bed trapping her tiny body beneath his she smiled when she felt his body pressed against hers.

He kissed her lips.

'Wake up love'

She slowly opened her crystalline blue oceans met to his azure ones, which were once again calm and peaceful, unlike the rage she had stirred in him the night before. She sleepily marvelled at the power of his eyes how they could at one point be filled with such furious jealousy, then just as quickly fill with love tenderness and passion.

'Mamo-chan?' she whispered breathlessly, he smiled. He loved the way his name slipped from her lips, like a revered word or a prayer, he teased those lips with a light kiss. 'Forgive me Mamo-chan… I didn't mean to be so insensitive'

Her eyes filled with uncertainty he kissed her eyelids before saying

'Of course love… Forgive me for being so jealous and possessive?'

She smiled.

'I gave you reason to love…'

'You did…' he agreed.

'But I like it when you're jealous and possessive…' she giggled. Mamoru looked stunned, but smiled all the same. 'You get that look in your eyes,' she explained caressing his face 'and I feel so loved, so protected… never stop…'

'Never' he swore swooping down and kissing her deeply revelling at the feel of her body beneath his, she arched her body into him, teasing him in more ways than one, her little hands wandering his body and nearly driving him insane with need. He gathered both her wrists in the same hand and pinned them down

'I can't do this Usako' he said his gaze lowered, as he prepared to get off her, knowing that one more look onto her ravaged face and barely covered body would have him abandoning his more noble gentlemen-like intentions and instead would be tearing off what was left of her clothes. She grabbed him before he could move any further.

'Mamo-chan wait…I want…'

He looked up seeing the sincerity burning deeply in her eyes, he smiled never one to deny her anything he kissed her again and again revelling at her body's sensitivity to his touch and relishing her powerful responses always careful to be gentle with her. His lips left her mouth to whisper in her ear.

'You are mine' he said with the real emotion in his heart

He smiled when she sighed and replied breathlessly.

'Always'


End file.
